CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 4
We arrive at the last known location of the merchant's freighter and begin to scan for the lost ship.
The ship is located, drifting lifeless. The external hull and systems of the ship have taken a severe beating but the exact cause is unknown. The cargo is unharmed, it seems. We are presented with a bit of a quandary here. We can take the cargo and get on with our mission, or download the freighter's navigation data and attempt to complete the freighter's mission to deliver the goods, perhaps for an additional reward.
The Rebel Fleet is still well behind us, so the decision is made to try and make good on the delivery of the cargo.
We collect what scrap and upgrades we can, and move out.
Jump drives up, time to get moving.
Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log/blog (Hardwood)
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spongebobsaget
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 5
Nothing at this jump gate but space debris and uninhabitable planetoids.
Scans show another distress signal as well as a merchant port nearby. We will investigate the distress beacon and then visit the merchants and see if they have any wares we would like to barter for. If they do not, we have accumulated enough upgrade materials to increase our shields by another layer of defensive barrier.
Power to the jump drive, engage.
Nothing at this jump gate but space debris and uninhabitable planetoids.
Scans show another distress signal as well as a merchant port nearby. We will investigate the distress beacon and then visit the merchants and see if they have any wares we would like to barter for. If they do not, we have accumulated enough upgrade materials to increase our shields by another layer of defensive barrier.
Power to the jump drive, engage.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 6
We locate the origin of the distress beacon. It is a human mining colony. An unknown disease has spread virulently among the workers. The station has attempted to establish a quarantine but lack the support to enforce it. Riots are inevitable unless we intervene. I can't help but remember our giant Rockman warrior succumbing to that unknown disease, dying in my arms. I can't risk our mission again. I silently ask for their forgiveness and punch in new nav-data to the computer. We slip away and jump to the merchant beacon.
We locate the origin of the distress beacon. It is a human mining colony. An unknown disease has spread virulently among the workers. The station has attempted to establish a quarantine but lack the support to enforce it. Riots are inevitable unless we intervene. I can't help but remember our giant Rockman warrior succumbing to that unknown disease, dying in my arms. I can't risk our mission again. I silently ask for their forgiveness and punch in new nav-data to the computer. We slip away and jump to the merchant beacon.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 7
Unsurprisingly, they have a crew teleporter for sale at this Mantis merchant station. If I had a larger crew or a ship with less firepower, I would strongly consider it. Some other odds and ends don't catch my eye until I see a rare and extremely valuable ship upgrade, a weapon pre-igniter! We are short on cash and materials required to barter for the highly sought after item. Damn. Maybe we should have tried to help that station out. I can't afford to sell any of my existing weapons, upgrades or modules. The freighter's nav-point destination is only one jump point away. Perhaps I can risk doubling-back to purchase this item if we receive a sizable reward.
Jumping out.
Unsurprisingly, they have a crew teleporter for sale at this Mantis merchant station. If I had a larger crew or a ship with less firepower, I would strongly consider it. Some other odds and ends don't catch my eye until I see a rare and extremely valuable ship upgrade, a weapon pre-igniter! We are short on cash and materials required to barter for the highly sought after item. Damn. Maybe we should have tried to help that station out. I can't afford to sell any of my existing weapons, upgrades or modules. The freighter's nav-point destination is only one jump point away. Perhaps I can risk doubling-back to purchase this item if we receive a sizable reward.
Jumping out.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 8
We find the station that had been expecting the delivery. We drop it off at their receiving docks. The foreman stops me and says, “Ignoring the fact that this shipment is days late, we really do appreciate it. We know how dangerous this sector has become. Please take this defense drone as payment in additional to the usual delivery fee.”
What luck! Now we finally have a solution for enemy missile systems, boarding drones and even asteroid fields. We will forego the upgrade options from the nearby merchant station and instead upgrade our drone control bay to accommodate the new defense system. The drone system we had installed only handles two schematics at a time, so the repair drone will have to be put into storage for now.
Jump drives engaged, time to get moving towards the exit beacon. The Rebel Fleet is not dangerously close, but they are closing in.
We find the station that had been expecting the delivery. We drop it off at their receiving docks. The foreman stops me and says, “Ignoring the fact that this shipment is days late, we really do appreciate it. We know how dangerous this sector has become. Please take this defense drone as payment in additional to the usual delivery fee.”
What luck! Now we finally have a solution for enemy missile systems, boarding drones and even asteroid fields. We will forego the upgrade options from the nearby merchant station and instead upgrade our drone control bay to accommodate the new defense system. The drone system we had installed only handles two schematics at a time, so the repair drone will have to be put into storage for now.
Jump drives engaged, time to get moving towards the exit beacon. The Rebel Fleet is not dangerously close, but they are closing in.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 9
Curse our luck! We have jumped into this system way too close to an uncharted sun. To make matters worse, there is a Mantis Scout here waiting for us. Who knows why this Mantis would venture so close to a danger such as this?
I now wish we had the repair drone available. The sun's flares will undoubtedly cause fires in random compartments within our ship. Hopefully, their ship fares just as poorly.
The Burst is set to target their weapons system.
Our advanced sensors detect just two life forms aboard their ship. A Mantis and presumably, his Engi slave. This Mantis has some balls! I can see him running for their teleporter, as though he means to board us by himself!
WARNING: INTRUDER ALERT
The anti-personnel drone is fired up and meets the enemy Mantis in the empty cargo bay he teleported into.
The Burst warms up and fires. All three shots fly true and strike the Mantis ship, knocking down both of their shield layers and landing a blow to their weapons suite, knocking their beam-weapon offline.
Artillery Beam 62%
The Mantis fighter aboard our ship is quite strong. He is besting our drone in combat. To assist our drone, I have vented the cargo bay and the oxygen levels start dropping rapidly. While that does not matter one bit to our drone, that may spell disaster for the Mantis.
The Mantis' double heavy lasers charge and fire, both shots striking our ship but being absorbed completely by our shields.
With all the excitement, I didn't even hear the Artillery Beam warm up and fire, but I see the results as the Mantis Scout takes a brutal direct hit, shredding the shield bay, bridge, weapons and life support modules.
The boarder has had enough, with his vitals dropping into critical, he teleports back to his own ship and drags himself, bleeding, to his Med Bay. I close our exterior doors to begin refilling the various rooms with oxygen again.
WARNING: SOLAR FLARE IMMINENT
Lovely. A quick glance at our jump drive shows it only at about 75% charged.
The Burst fires again, striking the weapons control center and erasing any repairs the Engi had been able to enact. Their ship is now barely holding together. The next shot from any of our weapons should destroy it, if the solar flares don't get it first.
A flash of light and a wave of intense heat washes over and through our ship. A small fire has started in the same starboard cargo hold the boarder had jumped into. Doors back open. That should be out momentarily once the oxygen is sucked out. With our maximum-reinforced doors, I have little fear of the fire spreading to nearby rooms.
The Burst scores another hit and the Mantis Scout breaks apart.
We collect some of the scrap and jump out before another flare can hit us.
Curse our luck! We have jumped into this system way too close to an uncharted sun. To make matters worse, there is a Mantis Scout here waiting for us. Who knows why this Mantis would venture so close to a danger such as this?
I now wish we had the repair drone available. The sun's flares will undoubtedly cause fires in random compartments within our ship. Hopefully, their ship fares just as poorly.
The Burst is set to target their weapons system.
Our advanced sensors detect just two life forms aboard their ship. A Mantis and presumably, his Engi slave. This Mantis has some balls! I can see him running for their teleporter, as though he means to board us by himself!
WARNING: INTRUDER ALERT
The anti-personnel drone is fired up and meets the enemy Mantis in the empty cargo bay he teleported into.
The Burst warms up and fires. All three shots fly true and strike the Mantis ship, knocking down both of their shield layers and landing a blow to their weapons suite, knocking their beam-weapon offline.
Artillery Beam 62%
The Mantis fighter aboard our ship is quite strong. He is besting our drone in combat. To assist our drone, I have vented the cargo bay and the oxygen levels start dropping rapidly. While that does not matter one bit to our drone, that may spell disaster for the Mantis.
The Mantis' double heavy lasers charge and fire, both shots striking our ship but being absorbed completely by our shields.
With all the excitement, I didn't even hear the Artillery Beam warm up and fire, but I see the results as the Mantis Scout takes a brutal direct hit, shredding the shield bay, bridge, weapons and life support modules.
The boarder has had enough, with his vitals dropping into critical, he teleports back to his own ship and drags himself, bleeding, to his Med Bay. I close our exterior doors to begin refilling the various rooms with oxygen again.
WARNING: SOLAR FLARE IMMINENT
Lovely. A quick glance at our jump drive shows it only at about 75% charged.
The Burst fires again, striking the weapons control center and erasing any repairs the Engi had been able to enact. Their ship is now barely holding together. The next shot from any of our weapons should destroy it, if the solar flares don't get it first.
A flash of light and a wave of intense heat washes over and through our ship. A small fire has started in the same starboard cargo hold the boarder had jumped into. Doors back open. That should be out momentarily once the oxygen is sucked out. With our maximum-reinforced doors, I have little fear of the fire spreading to nearby rooms.
The Burst scores another hit and the Mantis Scout breaks apart.
We collect some of the scrap and jump out before another flare can hit us.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 10
The only thing this beacon offers is a view of deep space and a brief respite from battles. For some, this must be a welcome refuge.
We are now nearing the exit beacon. The Rebel Fleet is gaining on us but we should be able to reach the beacon ahead of them.
Jump drives online.
The only thing this beacon offers is a view of deep space and a brief respite from battles. For some, this must be a welcome refuge.
We are now nearing the exit beacon. The Rebel Fleet is gaining on us but we should be able to reach the beacon ahead of them.
Jump drives online.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 4, JUMP 11
Not much remains in this abandoned system. Scans reveal an abandoned mining platform, however, and some salvageable scrap is found before we have to jump out.
We have to jump nodes out of the Sector, either to a civilian or Rock controlled set of systems. I have the feeling that the civilian Sector would be safer but the Rock Sector will likely hold more of what we really need, fire-weapons and Rockmen willing to crew our ship.
Course set and jump drive engaged.
Not much remains in this abandoned system. Scans reveal an abandoned mining platform, however, and some salvageable scrap is found before we have to jump out.
We have to jump nodes out of the Sector, either to a civilian or Rock controlled set of systems. I have the feeling that the civilian Sector would be safer but the Rock Sector will likely hold more of what we really need, fire-weapons and Rockmen willing to crew our ship.
Course set and jump drive engaged.
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
Whew! Made it through Sector 4! 
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spongebobsaget
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Re: Turning FTL playthrough into a captain's log / blog
CAPTAIN'S LOG: SECTOR 5, JUMP 1
Our first jump in the new sector and our scanners find a well known Rockman slaver ship. He offers to sell us one of his slaves to join our crew, but I think pounding him into submission will be a better payment.
Shields up, weapons online.
A surprising number of weapons pop out of the hull of the Scout-class ship. A quick count has two large lasers and a menacing missile tube.
Time to put our new anti-ballistic missile defense system to good use. Power shifted from the anti-personel drone to the Defense Drone MkI. Let's see what she can do.
Their heavy lasers power up and fire first. Thankfully neither of them fires more than a single shot and their volley is completely absorbed by our shields. We are immune to their armament, as our double layer shield should be able to bounce their laser fire indefinitely, and our new Defense Drone should be capable of shooting down any incoming missiles.
The Burst charges, fires, and lands a solid grouping of shots, taking down their dual-layered shield and causing minor damage to their weapons bay. Subsequent shots are targeted to their engine room. Don't want them running away before we teach them a lesson.
MISSILE LAUNCH DETECTED, COUNTERMEASURES ONLINE
Their first missile is off the rails and the ship has already targeted the incoming missile. Seconds before impact, the anti-ballistic drone lights up and zaps the incoming missile, detonating it harmlessly.
The Artillery Beam has charged in the meanwhile and unleashes a brutal gashing hit across the slave trader's ship, damaging their weapons bay, bridge, shield bay and setting their engine room on fire.
The comms channel crackles to life and a panicked voice comes over from the slaver ship, begging for their lives in exchange for the release of prisoners. We agree to spare their ship in exchange for the release of the prisoners and one asks to join our crew. He is a Zoltan, who says he goes by the name Aasted and was captured by the Rock slavers after his Zoltan scout was set on fire by bombs and boarded by the Rockmen. He is an engineer and shield bay tech by trade. Perfect. We get him acclimated to the ship's systems and introduce him to his new responsibility, maximizing the performance of our shield generator. The added benefit of having a Zoltan crew member is that they naturally give off enough energy to partially charge whatever module they are in, saving on the amount of power our core has to produce. That will be a welcome addition.
We power up for the jump.
Our first jump in the new sector and our scanners find a well known Rockman slaver ship. He offers to sell us one of his slaves to join our crew, but I think pounding him into submission will be a better payment.
Shields up, weapons online.
A surprising number of weapons pop out of the hull of the Scout-class ship. A quick count has two large lasers and a menacing missile tube.
Time to put our new anti-ballistic missile defense system to good use. Power shifted from the anti-personel drone to the Defense Drone MkI. Let's see what she can do.
Their heavy lasers power up and fire first. Thankfully neither of them fires more than a single shot and their volley is completely absorbed by our shields. We are immune to their armament, as our double layer shield should be able to bounce their laser fire indefinitely, and our new Defense Drone should be capable of shooting down any incoming missiles.
The Burst charges, fires, and lands a solid grouping of shots, taking down their dual-layered shield and causing minor damage to their weapons bay. Subsequent shots are targeted to their engine room. Don't want them running away before we teach them a lesson.
MISSILE LAUNCH DETECTED, COUNTERMEASURES ONLINE
Their first missile is off the rails and the ship has already targeted the incoming missile. Seconds before impact, the anti-ballistic drone lights up and zaps the incoming missile, detonating it harmlessly.
The Artillery Beam has charged in the meanwhile and unleashes a brutal gashing hit across the slave trader's ship, damaging their weapons bay, bridge, shield bay and setting their engine room on fire.
The comms channel crackles to life and a panicked voice comes over from the slaver ship, begging for their lives in exchange for the release of prisoners. We agree to spare their ship in exchange for the release of the prisoners and one asks to join our crew. He is a Zoltan, who says he goes by the name Aasted and was captured by the Rock slavers after his Zoltan scout was set on fire by bombs and boarded by the Rockmen. He is an engineer and shield bay tech by trade. Perfect. We get him acclimated to the ship's systems and introduce him to his new responsibility, maximizing the performance of our shield generator. The added benefit of having a Zoltan crew member is that they naturally give off enough energy to partially charge whatever module they are in, saving on the amount of power our core has to produce. That will be a welcome addition.
We power up for the jump.